Better Management of Gmail (and Your Storage!)

Step 1: Know Where Storage Lives

Your Google account comes with 15 GB of free storage, which is shared between Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive. Today, we’ll focus only on Gmail.
Here’s how to check your Google storage usage:

• While in Gmail, click your profile picture (top right)
• In the box that opens, click “Manage your Google Account.”
• In the left menu, click Payments & subscriptions -> then Account storage.

Step 2: Clean Out the Trash and Spam

• Gmail automatically empties the Trash and Spam after 30 days.
• But if you want instant space back, you can empty them manually:
  1. On the left side of Gmail, click More to see all folders.
  2. Open Trash (or Bin) → Click Empty Trash now.
  3. Do the same for Spam.

Step 3: Clear Out the “Hidden” Tabs

Many people don’t realize Gmail is quietly filing away mail into tabs like Promotions, Updates, and Forums. These can pile up for years!

• At the top of your Gmail inbox, click on Promotions, Updates, or Forums.
• Select all messages and delete. (Tip: Click the small checkbox at the very top to select everything on the page. You may need to repeat this if there are many pages of emails.)

Step 4: Search for Big Emails

Attachments take up the most space. Luckily, Gmail lets you search for them:

• In the Gmail search bar, type:
  • larger:10M → shows emails bigger than 10 MB.
  • has:attachment → shows emails with attachments.
• Delete the ones you no longer need (don’t forget to empty Trash afterward).

Step 5: Unsubscribe from What You Don’t Read

If you notice a flood of store ads or newsletters, open one and click Unsubscribe (usually at the bottom). That way you won’t have to keep cleaning the same things again and again.

---

Easy Ways to Keep Gmail Clean

• Delete as you go: If you know you don’t need an email, hit delete right away.
• Weekly “Inbox Sweep”: Once a week, open your Promotions tab and clear it out.
• Quarterly Check-In: Every few months, run the larger:10M search to catch oversized emails.

---

By spending just a few minutes here and there, you’ll keep Gmail neat, avoid paying for extra storage, and make your email easier to manage. Think of it like decluttering your closet—you don’t have to do it all in one day, but a little steady effort goes a long way!